Damien leaned against the railing, eyeing the three of them with a raised brow. "Alright, I'm here. Someone explain why I got a text that sounded like a classified mission briefing."
Venecia and Romeo exchanged a glance before Romeo stepped forward. "Because its kind of is," he admitted. Liana crossed her arms. "So, Damien, here's the short version—you're the last one who doesn't know. Romeo and Venecia's dads weren't just connected. They were best friends before everything went wrong."
Damien blinked. "Wait, what?"
Venecia pulled out the photo she had found in her dad's study, while Romeo did the same with his. "We both found these in our fathers' studies," she explained, holding up the picture. "That's my dad." "And that's mine," Romeo added, pointing to the other man in the photo.
"They were together. Smiling. Not enemies—friends." Damien took a step closer, studying the images. "This doesn't make sense. Why would they hide this? Why have we been told your families have been at war since the beginning if they were working together?"
"That's what we need to figure out," Romeo said. "And I think I found something that might help." He took a deep breath before revealing his next discovery. "In my dad's study, there's a secret section. A hidden compartment in the bookshelf. I didn't get the chance to search it thoroughly, but I think there might be more than just photos in there." Liana's eyes widened. "A secret compartment? What's he hiding?"
"I don't know," Romeo admitted. "But I plan to find out." Venecia cleared her throat, drawing their attention back to her. "And it's not just his house. My place has something too. There's an attic in my house—one I've never been allowed into.
I've always thought it was just storage, but after finding the photo, I'm starting to think there might be more up there." Damien ran a hand through his hair. "So let me get this straight. Not only were your dads' best friends, but they were also hiding things. Both of your houses might have answers we need, and we're about to go snooping through them?"
"Pretty much," Liana said with a smirk.
Damien exhaled sharply. "Of course. Why do I even ask anymore?"
Venecia stepped forward. "Look, I know this is a lot, but we can't ignore it. What if the key to breaking this feud is buried in our own homes?"
Romeo nodded. "Exactly. We need to split up and check both places. Venecia and I will handle our own houses, but we'll need backup in case we run into trouble." Liana grinned. "I call dibs on breaking into the attic." Venecia rolled her eyes.
"No breaking, just searching." Damien sighed, rubbing his temples. "I swear, every time I hang out with you guys, we get closer to starring in a supernatural horror movie." "But you love it," Liana teased. He groaned. "Let's just get this over with before we actually find a ghost." Venecia smiled, determination shining in her eyes. "Then it's settled. Tonight, we find the truth."
Later that night...
The moon hung heavy in the sky, casting long, distorted shadows across the Eryndor estate. Venecia slipped through the back garden, her footsteps muffled by the soft earth. The air was thick with a nervous energy, a feeling that they were stepping into a realm they weren't meant to see. Liana followed close behind, her eyes darting from shadow to shadow.
"You sure this attic is even accessible?" Liana whispered, her voice barely audible.
"I've seen a small door in the hallway upstairs," Venecia replied, keeping her voice low. "It's always locked, though. That's why we're going through the garden. There's a window we can reach." They reached the side of the house, where a thick vine climbed up the wall, leading to a small, dusty window tucked under the eaves.
Venecia gave Liana a determined look. "Ready?" Liana nodded, her expression a mix of excitement and apprehension. "As I'll ever be." Venecia carefully began to climb, using the vine as a makeshift ladder. The rough bark scraped against her skin, but she ignored the discomfort, focusing on the task at hand. She reached the window, finding it slightly ajar. With a gentle push, it creaked open, revealing a dark, musty space.
"Ladies first," Liana whispered, giving her a boost. Venecia slipped through the window, landing softly on a pile of forgotten textiles. The air was thick with dust, making her cough. She waved for Liana to follow, and soon, they were both standing in the dimly lit attic.
The space was filled with forgotten relics—old trunks, dusty furniture draped in white sheets, and stacks of boxes filled with unknown contents. The silence was heavy, broken only by the soft creaks of the old house settling. "Alright, let's start searching," Venecia said, her voice echoing slightly in the vast space.
They moved through the attic, carefully examining each item. Venecia opened a trunk filled with old clothes, finding nothing but moth-eaten fabrics. Liana rummaged through a stack of dusty books; her face covered in a layer of grime.
"Anything?" Venecia asked, her voice strained.
"Just a lot of dust and old stories," Liana replied, wiping her hands on her jeans. "You?"
"Nothing yet," Venecia said, frustration creeping into her voice. "This has to be more than just storage." They continued their search, their eyes scanning every corner of the attic. Venecia noticed a large, ornate chest tucked away in the far corner, half-hidden behind a pile of old rugs. It was different from the other items—more meticulously cared for, less dusty.
"Liana, over here," she called, her voice hushed. They approached the chest, their hearts pounding with anticipation. Venecia carefully lifted the heavy lid, revealing a collection of leather-bound journals and a small, wooden box.
"Journals?" Liana whispered, her eyes wide. Venecia picked up one of the journals, flipping through the pages. The handwriting was elegant, familiar. "This is my father's," she said, her voice trembling. She opened the wooden box, finding a small, intricately carved key and a folded piece of parchment. She unfolded the parchment, revealing a map of the forest, marked with strange symbols and a single, bold X.
"What is this?" Liana asked, peering over her shoulder.
Venecia stared at the map, her mind racing. "I don't know," she said, her voice barely a whisper. "But I think we just found something big."
Meanwhile, across town, Romeo and Damien were making their way through the Draekhaven estate. The house was eerily quiet, the silence broken only by the soft padding of their footsteps. Romeo led the way, his eyes scanning the darkened hallways.
"The study is upstairs," he whispered, his voice echoing in the empty house. "The secret compartment is behind the bookshelf on the left." They reached the study, the door slightly ajar. Romeo pushed it open, revealing the familiar room.
The bookshelf stood against the wall, its spines casting long shadows in the dim light. "Alright, let's find that compartment," Damien said, his voice low. Romeo stepped towards the bookshelf, his fingers tracing the spines. He found the hidden mechanism, pressing it gently. The bookshelf slid back with a quiet click, revealing the hidden safe.
"There it is," Romeo said, his voice filled with a mix of excitement and dread.
He knelt before the safe, his fingers hovering over the keypad. He quickly entered the numbers, the lock clicking open. He lifted the lid, revealing the same letters and photos he had seen before, but this time, he noticed a small, leather-bound book tucked beneath the stack of documents. "Damien, look at this," he said, pulling out the book.
Damien leaned closer, his eyes scanning the cover. "What is it?"
"I don't know," Romeo said, opening the book. The pages were filled with handwritten notes, strange symbols, and diagrams. "But I think it's the key to everything." As they delved deeper into the secrets hidden within the book, a sudden noise echoed from the hallway, a soft creak that sent a chill down their spines. They exchanged a nervous glance, their hearts pounding in unison. "Someone's here," Damien whispered, his eyes wide. Romeo closed the book, his grip tightening. "We need to go."
They slipped out of the study, moving silently through the darkened hallways. The noise grew louder, closer. They reached the back door, slipping out into the night. As they ran, they glanced back at the house, seeing a figure standing in the window of the study, silhouetted against the moonlight.
"We were seen," Romeo said, his voice strained. "We need to get out of here."
***********
Do you think they were caught?